


Years Gone By

by QuillOfFortune



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Angst, F/M, Future Fic, Iceberg Lounge, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Pining Oswald Cobblepot, Unbeta'ed, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-05
Updated: 2015-01-05
Packaged: 2018-03-05 11:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3119246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuillOfFortune/pseuds/QuillOfFortune
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim Gordon does not want Oswald Cobblepot anywhere near him, and Oswald can respect that. That does not mean his interest in the policeman ever waned though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Years Gone By

In all the lovely chaos that is left behind in the falling of Gotham’s three major mob bosses Penguin’s empire thrives and slowly starts to bring back an imitation of order to the under belly of the city; though the process is not a simple one, what with every major player left standing trying to make a move on Penguin’s unstable position. However, Oswald is a survivor through and through even though he has always intended to be so much more than that.

The war has ended and the old bosses are dead with the rest of their kind having either rallied behind the Penguin, a name that Oswald Cobblepot has gained much fear and respect with, or have begrudgingly withdrawn into the shadows to plot his demise. 

Most considered what follows to be a mocking gesture on Penguin’s part; that he is attempting to thoroughly destroy the memory of Fish’s reign with his very presence when he sets up what is to be his base of operations in her old club.

In all truth keeping the old place is a tribute; his career did start off there after all. 

And if it also held a place in his heart for the memories that were formed in the back alleyway where he first encountered a young naive police officer who would grow to be one of the greatest men in Gotham and one of the few that Oswald would trust with his life, well, nobody besides Jim and himself are still alive to remember it. 

In this way it serves as a reminder to all those that wish to oppose him what exactly happens to those who get in his way. 

It also serves as a reminder to himself: Your greatest passion becomes your greatest weakness. 

So, he keeps the old club and makes renovations to it so that it will suit his needs and renames it the Iceberg Lounge.

___

The day of Jim’s wedding Penguin locks himself inside his office without a word. Even with the walls separating him from his people though a sullen mood blankets itself upon the Lounge and the day is spent mostly in tense and confused silence.

The tension snaps when Oswald gets the call telling him that it is done and that, yes, he really did go through with it shortly after the ceremony from one of his men. There is some screaming and crashing noises the echo throughout the building that no one is stupid enough to interrupt, but it ends just as quickly as it begins. Penguin emerges about an hour later, as immaculately dressed as ever with a dark gleam in his eyes as he starts inferring upon the influx of artillery shipments in the bay area. 

Business continues as usual.

___

James Gordon wins the running for the position of Gotham’s Police Commissioner. He is an honest and good man, clearly the best person for the job among the other running candidates. 

Which is precisely the reason he never should have won; Gotham is a dark mistress and most of her civil servants appease her through lies and corruption. They have to, to survive within her city limits. Gordon has always denied her what she wants though: his broken spirit, his loss of morals, and of the belief that he can make Gotham a better place. In doing so he has made a lot of enemies, plenty of which would gladly see him cold on the pavement instead of in charge of their police forces.

Luckily for Jim Gordon, Penguin is dark and twisted enough for the both of them to survive Gotham, their home, and it is easy enough to sway the vote in his favor. 

He never lets Jim find out though, lets him believe that Gotham chose him, and he almost feels like a better man for it.  
___

Perhaps he had not expressed his position on Jim Gordon clear enough to be understood in the Gotham Underworld. Or perhaps it had simply been too long since it had last needed a reminder. This fact is brought to his attention when the Joker decides to go after Jim’s only daughter, Barbara. 

The fact that she looks so much like the woman he had encountered all those years ago when he was still a young man makes the ugly pit of jealousy in his chest flair, but her eyes, oh, her eyes are all Jim and she is Jim’s and that is just about enough to push his fury over the edge and into the realm of revenge. 

Especially after watching a tiny pixilated Jim cram his face into his palms as his body wracks with sobs when he is informed that his daughter might not make it through the night. In those few moments of stolen hospital footage, Oswald sees Jim Gordon come closer to breaking than he has in all the years he has known him. 

The Clown will burn if this is what finally breaks the headstrong and resilient man Oswald fell in love with.

She lives, barely, but she will never be able to walk again. The great relief and hope on Jim’s that is practically palpable even through video images constricts his heart in ways that Oswald had forgotten were possible.

Joker’s henchmen start dropping like flies in the streets, three major hitters of the Rogues Gallery having declared open season on them. Penguin is not the only one who remembers the good old days of Gotham, no Jim had made quite the impression on Riddler and Two-Face as well before Gotham had her way with them. Not to the same extent that he had on Oswald of course, but it did not take too much prompting on the Penguin’s part to get the war started.

It comes to the surprise of both the Gordons and Mr. Wayne that Barbara’s medical expenses have already been taken care of by an anonymous source when they go to pay for them.

After that a new unspoken rule is followed in Gotham: no one touches the Gordons. 

___

Jim Gordon eventually dies of old age after having led a fulfilling and beautiful life.

The shear hoard of mourners shrouded in black that are in attendance at his funeral can attest to that. The ceremony goes by in a blur as they honor the life of a husband, father, and a man who was a great pillar in the community. 

It is as the last of this crowd makes their way out of the graveyard that the final mourner slowly makes his way across the uneven terrain, his weight supported by the umbrella he carried in one hand while his heart was supported by the rose he held in the other. Stopping before the plot and grazing down hollowly at the fresh dirt he knelt down so he was eye level with the pristine stone that proudly stated the owners name for all to see: JAMES GORDON.

His umbrella fell to the ground beside him as his hand slowly outlined all the letters that were engraved there. He stayed there for several minutes, the wet ground soaking into his designer suit, before raising the flower to graze his lips slightly before he set the down with all the others that were laid there. 

Unsteadily getting up on his feet the old man sent one last longing look towards the flower he had just placed before turning to go.

“Goodbye, old friend.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for taking your time to read this! Basically this was just written up real quick for two reason: one, we are getting our show back tomorrow *happy dance*, and two, because there really isn't enough Gobblepot out there yet. Thank you again, and any and all mistakes found are my own as I do not have a beta.


End file.
